Cardinal Rules for Senior Runners
It may be useful to consider some basic guidelines we can organize our running around. I have found five that I refer to as cardinal (which means central) rules.
1. Strength train and stretching
2. Do something every day, but not always running
3. Warm-up, cool-down
4. Vary pace and distance
5. Race, but varied and not too much
Strength train and stretching
This is so important it could be counted twice! Reasons for not strength training and stretching seem to revolve around time and resolve. Some say if they strength train, they won’t have time to run. Where to strength train can become a time issue, too. “If I spend 15 minutes each way driving to the gym, that’s time I can’t be running or working out.” Resolve may be driven by a lack of knowledge about the importance of strength training and stretching.
Yes, there are only so many hours and minutes in a day. Yet, by being inventive we can combine trips that go near a gym several times a week. The number of 24/7 gyms are proliferating, and there are Y’s and low-cost clubs in most places. And very good home options, assuming one has a bit of space, can be crafted for between $500 and $1,000, a one-time cost providing years of solid payback. Regarding resolve, we don’t have to look too far to find ample evidence that muscle loss and inflexibility not only impact our quality of life in our senior years but also can be largely mitigated. Finding workout partners can help but it still comes down to making this a priority. Personal trainers can get you started but depending on them for all your workouts is both time consuming and expensive. True resolve will result when you see and feel results, which then lead to greater resolve: a positive reinforcing cycle!
Something every day
Our bodies need to be regularly stressed. This is a fundamental precept of exercise physiology. Guidelines from ACSM say 30 minutes of moderate exercise five times a week is sufficient. But this is simply not enough to be a successful senior runner. If we are to run credible races, we must vigorously stress our running bodies, ideally every day. The human body is an amazing machine, but with age our parts become less resilient. They need reminders they will be called upon to perform. Daily activity lubricates the joints and increases the rate blood flows through our tissues, including the brain.
This topic raises the question of how often to run. I still hear from a few seniors who try to run every day. This is a prescription for injury. Streaking might work for younger runners but rarely for seniors. I find running four, or at most five, days a week optimal. That leaves space for water running, Stairmaster, cycling, and even brisk walking the other days. I call these running equivalents (REQs), in that they can be measured in equivalent running miles. I compile each week’s exercise in running miles, REQs, and total. This, then, sums to monthly totals. We know there will be times we are nursing an injury. In those cases, using REQs to retain mileage is particularly good. You will find your own system to track your activity. Bottom line, by committing to something every day, you don’t have to think about whether to exercise, but when and how.
Warm-up, cool-down
We wouldn’t (or shouldn’t!) gun our cars after starting them in cold weather. And that is probably even more important with older vehicles. From high school days, we were told to warm-up before starting a workout. This was abbreviated as I recall but involved some toe touching and calisthenics. The modern warm-up engages a foam roller and a variety of dynamic movements that prepare the body to run. Perhaps most important is starting slower, even for up to a mile or so, so blood can reach our muscles and prepare them pick it up. If we’re aiming for a 9:00 pace, maybe that means going 10:00 for the first mile.
The cool-down might be combined with strength training on some days. But at a minimum, a bit of a jog at the end of the main run, then moving into a full range of both dynamic and static stretching, especially engaging the muscles in the lower extremity. Foam rolling up and down the legs is very effective. Eccentric heel dips are also great followed by calf stretches. Quad stretches off a bench allow for a full stretch of the hip flexors. The cool-down takes longer than the warm-up and should always be done. If time is tight, cut down on the run but not the cool-down. In total, our warm-up and cool-down might take 25% of the workout – a good investment of time.
Distance and pace
This rule suggests both distance and pace should vary during the course of a week or other regular training cycle. Distance becomes a major conundrum for senior runners who have run 40, 50, or 60+ miles per week. Combined with number of days, which ideally settles down to four, or at most five, per week, it’s hard maintaining higher mileage. Some may view it as a badge of honor to continue to run 2,500 to 3,000 miles per year, or 50-60 a week. As we age, that badge tarnishes. I used to see 2,000 miles as an annual goal. I now aim for 1,300 – 1,500, assuming injury-free. And I put those miles in typically with runs ranging from four to 10 miles, with an occasional 12 or 14-miler when building toward a half marathon.
Pace is the holy grail for most of us runners. Maybe we were able to shoot for a sub 6:00 pace in races or mile intervals on the track, though this could have been 6:30, 7:00, or even an 8:00 pace, depending on gender and a variety of things. Regardless, we find ourselves slowing down. We can be frustrated by that or we can work within our physical limitations to maintain maximal speed. We also have to be wary of topping out more than twice a week. Speed builds but can lead to injury. But let’s not short shrift ourselves – we do need to do some regular speed work. As with all things, the key is finding a balance.
Racing
For many of us, racing is the payoff. All our work comes to bear when we find ourselves at the start line waiting for the horn to sound. First, let’s dissect the difference between running hard and all-out racing. The former can be in place of a tempo run, the latter requiring tapering and extended recovery to both perform at our best and avoid injury. It’s also good to vary race distances: 5Ks obviously differ from a half marathon (or a marathon if you still include those in your race menu – I do not.)
As to how often, let’s say you aim for 15-20 races a year, roughly one or two a month. Consider sketching out how many 5K-4Ms, 5M-10Ks, 8-10 milers, and half marathons you wish to do in a year. My 2024 calendar lists 16 races: five 5Ks/4Milers, eight 5M/10Ks, one 15K, and two half marathons, totaling 100 race miles. This is about 7% of my total expected mileage.
Racing not only tests us but gives us a chance to connect with friends and those in our cohort. Running might become pretty boring without it. So, let’s enjoy, but not overdo it.
So, those are my five cardinal rules. You might have others but if you incorporate these, it should allow your running to stay fresh, fun, and injury free.